A Peek into My Living Room

A Look Into Our Living Room

Originally my plan was to show you guys the craft room/office. Except there has been quite a bit of crafting {sewing} going on in that room as of late, so it is hardly picture ready.  So in the meantime, I thought we could take a look through the living room.  This is our version of the "fancy" room {although its not one bit fancy}--the one we don't sit in as much--the one without the television--the one where I can put my cute pillows with less chance of chewed up goldfish ending up on them.

Some of my favorite handmade pillows.

And guess what?  I am going to put these pillows {and more styles} up in my shop again very soon! Sound good?

Above left to right: my knob collection, my great grandma's vintage typewriter, burlap crown pillow.

Above left to right: tall white thing from Home Goods, Willow Tree figurines, wire basket and green moss circles were a gift, frame and stand with a picture of the temple from a swap meet years ago.

I got Ben this Christ statue for his "Groom's" gift the night before we were married {from Deseret Book}. It serves as our constant reminder that He is at the center of our home.

{turquoise bowl: Home Goods} 

For those of you who have asked how I keep my couches white with a Tasmanian toddler in the house...bleach baby!  These puppies are slip covers, so any time baby goop becomes visible, I just pop them in the washer and they come out like new.  These couches, chairs and ottoman are from Ikea. 



1. c/o Barn Owl Primitives: Family Rules Sign

2. Local Surf Shop frame: recipe with love note written on it from our first date.

3. c/o Modern Bird Studios: hand painted Baby W portrait

4. Home Goods: typography word art that reminds me of Baby W.

5. Old frame that I removed the glass and backing from then spray painted. Heart wings purchased at TJ Maxx years ago.

6. Mod Podge heart made for Baby W by Love Stitched

7. c/o Barn Owl Primitives: Keep Calm and Carry On sign

Not sure which room will come next, I suppose whichever is the most clean when I am ready to take pictures.  If you missed a peek at my kitchen, click HERE.



A Peek at the Kitchen in Our New Place

Hooray, the kitchen is unpacked.

Not quite shabby chic, not quite urban farmhouse, not quite french bistro--so we're going with Chateau Chic. And I don't really think that's an actual design term, but it seems to work for this space. We work with what we have {and often what has been given to us}, so that usually means you will find a combination of styles and themes within my decor. 

Next room to finish up...the craft room/office.

Stay tuned, as we go room by room.

Spring Time Decor and Easter Inspiration

It seems that the hubby's unexpected knee surgery has led to a change of plans around these parts.

Emails have gone unanswered.

Posts have gone unposted.

Dishes have gone unwashed.

And laundry has gone un-laundered,

as the husband has been confined to the couch loopy on pain meds

while I spend my days forming a human barrier between his knee

and our crash test dummy of a toddler.

And to top things off,

Baby W's two year molars have decided to come out and play this week,
three months early, mind you.

So you'd think that since I don't ever sleep

I would have lots of time to get things done.

But you would be wrong.

Exhaustion has turned my brain into a mashed potato,

so even the most medial task is completed at half speed.

Which would explain why I forgot this weekend was Easter.

Yep, completely forgot.

And whose house do you think Easter will be hosted at this year?

Uh huh, mine.

And the Easter decorations are still in the box,

buried in the garage

under boxes that only the pre-knee surgery husband can lift.

So I did what I do best.

I googled.

Rather I searched Spring/Easter ideas on my new obsession, Pinterest.

And I stumbled upon some delightful finds.

Yeah, I just said delightful {we might try that word out for a while}.

And now, wish me luck

as I head out to Target

with my hyper-active toddler, an immobile hubby and a shoestring budget.

Not to worry though,  we already called Target ahead and reserved one of those motorized carts.

This should be fun.

Time for the inspiration:

Source: sweetandlovelythings.tumblr.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Source: marthastewart.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Source: designspongeonline.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Source: homedesign.marthastewart.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Source: marthastewart.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Source: potterybarn.com via Ashley on Pinterest

 

Source: sweetpaul.typepad.com via Ashley on Pinterest

  

Source: sfgirlbybay.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Source: designspongeonline.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Source: southernliving.com via Ashley on Pinterest

 

Source: sfgirlbybay.com via Ashley on Pinterest

A little glimpse into the meaning of Easter in our home.

Without Easter there would be no Christmas. -Gordon B. Hinckley

Sadie Jane: Simply Delicious {anthro bedroom that is off the hook}

Meet Sadie Jane of Simply Delicious,
she is beautiful,
she is talented,
she has the most precious little family,
and she has some mad design skills.
Read her guest post today
for the scoop on her crazy awesome
bedroom remodel!

and she teaches us how to make EVERYTHING you see in this room,

including the bed spread!

Wowza!

*************************************************

Hello all you wonderful LMM readers!

I could not be more excited to be guest posting for Ashley today.

Isn't she just so adorable!

Someday we will get together at a coffee shop and talk for hours!

I'm Sadie Jane from {simply delicious}

MY OBSESSIONS?

Running. Clothes. Decorating. Blogging. Friends. Cupcakes. Sewing. Shoes. Kissing my Prince Charming. Motherhood. Delivering babies. Working out. Baking. Purses. {My Religion}. Sporadically breaking out in dance. Laughing. Family. Licorice flavored taffy. Jewelry. Shopping with mom. Skype. Being a nurse.

I have been a labor and delivery nurse for 2 1/2 years now and I absolutely love it!

You can read about some of my experiences {HERE} and {HERE}.

I work night shifts {6 PM to 6 AM} while my husband watches our little girl, Reagan Jane.

When I'm not delivering babies I am training for a run or athletic event.

I am very passionate about fitness but you better believe I have something sweet everyday!

To read about some of my running adventures go {HERE} and {HERE}.

Another obsession!?!...

my beautiful little pea-pod Reagan Jane.

She came into our lives last year.

My life wouldn't be complete without her.

To read about some of her adventures go {HERE} and {HERE}.

Reagan is wearing one of my {simply delicious creations}.

One of these days I will open an Etsy shop...but until then this little girl will have to be my only customer.

When I'm not working, running or playing with my little girl I am sewing, crafting or decorating!

To learn more about me go {HERE}

Now onto the fun stuff!!

I am here for all of you today to show some of the fun things I have been up to lately.

Jeff and I moved into our home in December and since then I have been busy painting and redecorating.

This was our master bedroom right after we moved in.

Although I loved the trim and molding in our room I wanted to do something completely different to it...while staying on a budget.

So.....

HERE'S WHAT I'VE DONE SO FAR...

I decided to paint it grey, turquoise and white.

I bought the paint, rolled up my sleeves and went to town.

I bought an amazing stencil from {Cutting Edge Stencils}.

What do you think?

Instead of buying the $100+ bedding from Anthropologie I decided to channel my inner seamstress and make the bedding myself!

Wanna see how I did it?

Go to the tutorial {HERE}!

I was going for a 'shabby-chic-retro' feel.

Everything I made for this room was either discounted or from a thrift store.

#1 tip to redecorating: ALWAYS SHOP THE THRIFT STORES!

They are full of simply delicious finds.

Find out how to make this beautiful feather wreath.

Go to the tutorial {HERE}.

And check out the tutorial for this Candle Holder Re-vamp.

{HERE}

I still have a few finishing touches to add to my newly vamped bedroom.

Including:

Rosette lamp re-vamp {yet to create}

Refinished bedside tables {currently drying}

Wall decor {waiting for the hubby to hang}

and more...

watch the play by play of my master bedroom come together.

And don't forget the {other rooms} in the house.

Thanks again Ashley for letting me come over and guest post.

Stop by my blog, become a follower and read all about my journey as a nurse, mother, wife, decorator and plain ole' country girl in my {simply delicious} life!

XOXO

Sadie Jane

Your TOP 5 Questions About Interior Design Answered

GUEST BLOGGER:

Your TOP 5 Questions About Interior Design Answered

by a Professional

{scroll down for details about a FREE $150 Color Consult}

My name is Cyndi Broadhead, I am a wife, mother of an 18 month old boy, Scentsy Consultant, and Interior Designer. Interior Design runs in my blood, I was blessed with a creative spirit and a talent for design. Being the youngest of 4 girls with a big age gap between my sisters and me, I had many years at home with just my parents. Because of this I was able to not only rearrange my room a million times, I even switched rooms. I was able to live in every room of the house (so much fun to look back at all the themes and styles of my many room designs). Time passed, and I now have a degree in Interior Design.

We all get the question what do you do?

and after I say I’m an Interior Designer

there is usually one of five questions that immediately follows.

So today I want to go over those questions and give you all some

tips and tricks.

{after you read these tips, be sure to check out In Cirlce Interiors to enter a giveaway for a FREE Color Consultation valued at over $150}

The #1 question…What color should I paint my walls? (or something about paint color)
Paint and colors can be tricky if you don’t know what you are looking for but my number one thing is DON’T be afraid of color. Color can bring new life and emotion to any space. Remember when you are picking out colors that there are a lot more colors in each color than just the one you see at first glance. When you pick up paint chips at a store, put each one alone on a plain white piece of paper. This is the best way to see each one's true color tone (colors feed off of each other so the point is to isolate the color). Another tip...SAMPLES! paint samples on the wall or on a large piece of paper and tape it up on the wall. View possible paint colors on different surfaces and in different lights to see how it is affected. Or you can hire us for a Color Consultation (wink wink) and we can take all the guesswork out of it!




The #2 question…Where should I put my furniture? (or any question about the best way to arrange furniture in a space)
This is kind of a TRICKY question to answer generally because every house is different depending on your specific floor plan and furniture. So here is my tip: MAKE IT FLOW! You should have an easy walkway to EVERYTHING you need to get to in the room. So if you have to walk completely around a piece of furniture to get to it...it might be in a bad location.

Question #3 is usually about style…Types of styles (ie contemporary, mission, traditional, etc.)
Many people have questions about “what is my design style” or “what style should I use in my space.” To be honest, I don’t think you need to know a specific answer to this question BECAUSE most of you know what you like when you see it. That is KEY! As you are designing your space don't worry about fitting within a design style box, this is NOT necessary. The most beautiful rooms that I see are not about the specific style but the character and love the room emits.

• Make your room feel as though it has been collected through time. Don't go to furniture store and buy a SET of living room furniture; buy the couch and then find different side chairs, and use an antique stool as an end table, etc.
• When trying to decide if two items will go well together in a room, look at each item and ask yourself, "what does this item evoke emotionally?" Think of character, emotional, and descriptive words. If both items convey similar emotions they should work well in a space.
• Mix the old and new...it gives CHARACTER to your space (check out THIS eclectic home tour from Better Homes and Gardens and see how they mixed the old and new)

Also, check out this article about Eclectic vs Collected...it has GREAT info and images.

eclectic living room design by atlanta interior designer decordemon

#4 is about how to/where to hang art and pictures on the wall?
First of all I HONESTLY believe there is no right or wrong way to hang your art BUT if you want some ideas check out THIS post about picture frame layouts. The thing that is tricky with design is there are MILLIONS of ways to do the same thing and when you study design, they may give you some "rules" on how to do certain things but then the number 1 rule of design is that rules are made to be BROKEN!
Have you heard people say all picture frames should match? What do you think?

Example #1 Here is a beautiful room with all matching frames. And yes they look great when they all match...BUT...

contemporary family room design by san francisco interior designer Amoroso Design

Doesn't this look AMAZING too? I love the eclectic yet sophisticated look.

contemporary home office design

If you aren't ready for that, try getting different style of frames and paint them all the same color to get a unified look.

eclectic bedroom design

When it comes to hanging them on the wall, before you do anything just decide if you want a uniform look or something a little more haphazard. Then, to be safe, lay it out on the floor or on the wall before you make holes. My #1 rule is if I think it looks nice then it does...who cares if someone comes in and doesn't like it...it's not their house.

#5 How can I have my DREAM home and stay on a tight BUDGET?
There are many ways to work around a tight budget...here are a few tips:

• DIY - if you can make some things yourself to save some money DO IT! Plus think about when people come over and say oh I love this pillow and you can say "oh yeah...I made it."
• Shop CLEARANCE-look for those bargains!!!
• Collect things over time. You do not need to have your dream house finished in a week...take your time and collect pieces that you will love for a lifetime.

Painter's Ladder Shelf from Knock Off Wood

I hope you enjoyed this little Q & A session and got some useful tips. Thanks for letting me be a guest today, it has been a PLEASURE! ....and don't forget to check out InCircleInteriors.com for other helpful tips and a fabulous giveaway for a FREE Color Consult valued at over $150!

Peace OUT!

Cyndi